News on Potato Stats, Trade, Prices from Africa

Senegal’s MASAE received containers with seed potatoes at Dakar Port for the 2025–2026 campaign, marking progress toward food sovereignty with 20,000+ tons of seeds and 7.3 billion FCFA (EUR 11.13 million) in state support.

Excitement builds as we mark one year to the 13th World Potato Congress, set for Oct 26–30, 2026, at Sawela Lodge, Naivasha, Kenya. Keynotes and registration launch in Nov. Stay tuned for updates and sponsorship opportunities!

Potatoes are currently abundant on the South African market, resulting in deflationary prices compared to the same period last year, says David Nel of GROW Fresh market agency.

Egypt’s potato exports to Malaysia hit a record 2,500 tonnes in Jan–July 2025, doubling 2024 volumes. Malaysia’s market share rose to 1.5%, reflecting Egypt’s growing export footprint and diversification strategy in Southeast Asia.

Global potato markets face a 'Potato Flood' as production outpaces demand, causing price crashes and farmer losses. Rising output from Europe, Asia, Egypt, Turkey, and new exporters China and India fuels oversupply, worsened by U.S. tariffs on EU fries.

Las exportaciones de papa marroquí repuntaron en 2025 con 42.900 toneladas, impulsadas por la reapertura de África Occidental y mayores compras de España, Francia, Portugal y varios países africanos, aunque aún lejos de los niveles récord de 2018/19.

Irish potato farmers in Plateau State, Nigeria, report higher yields this season, with tubers harvested in larger sizes and volumes than in recent years. The increase has followed several years of low yields.

Morocco's potato exports, declining since 2019, are rebounding. Between July 2024 and May 2025, the country shipped 42.9K tons of ware potatoes, worth USD 14.9M, signaling recovery in the sector, according to EastFruit analysts.

The EU has eased import rules for Egyptian potatoes under Regulation 1289/2025, boosting shipment limits and reducing inspections. Egypt expects lower costs, streamlined exports, and improved competitiveness in key EU markets.

La adopción de una nueva normativa de la UE facilita la exportación de patatas egipcias a los mercados europeos.

The 13th World Potato Congress will be held in Naivasha, Kenya, from October 26–30, 2026—the first in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hosted by NPCK and FreshCrop Ltd, the event will spotlight global potato innovations, food security, and trade.

With Egypt's 2025 potato harvest complete, exporters turn to cold storage to sustain shipments through year-end. Strict post-harvest practices ensure quality for key markets like Russia, the UK, and Asia, maintaining freshness during long transit.

Rwanda is now a key hub for seed potato trade in the Great Lakes Region, thanks to farmer-led innovations, Africa’s largest minituber facility, a national seed catalogue, and efforts toward regional integration and formal cross-border seed markets.

Potato farmers have urged the government to put more effort into producing certified seed. They have said what is available in the market is costly and inaccessible to most small-scale farmers.

Las exportaciones de papa egipcia alcanzaron 1,1 millones de toneladas en 2024, aunque los precios cayeron hasta un 40% por el aumento de la oferta.

Egypt's fresh potato exports are seeing strong growth, driven by rising demand from Russia, Asia, and the UK. This highlights Egypt's production strength and global market position.

Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk co-chaired the maiden meeting of the Potato Export Regulation Committee, with the participation of several exporters.

Egypt continues to rapidly increase its potato exports to the United Kingdom. After setting a record volume of exports in 2023, Egyptian exporters further increased export volume by a factor 2.7 in 2024, according to EastFruit.